Economic analysis of the link between diet quality and health: Evidence from Kosovar micro-data

Kushtrim Braha, Andrej Cupak, Artan Qineti, Jan Pokrivcak and Marian Rizov

No 261150, 2017 International Congress, August 28-September 1, 2017, Parma, Italy from European Association of Agricultural Economists

Abstract: We analyze the link between diet quality and health outcomes measured by body-mass index (BMI) in a sample of 8,900 Kosovar individuals utilizing household expenditure micro-data. Using a household model of health production we devise a two-stage empirical strategy to estimate the antecedents of diet diversity and its effect on BMI. Economic factors and demographic characteristics play an important role in the choice of more balanced diets. Results from the BMI analysis support the hypothesis that diet diversity is associated with optimal BMI and thus healthier status. One standard deviation increase in diet diversity leads to 2.3% increase in BMI of the underweight individuals and to 1.4% reduction in BMI of the obese individuals. The findings have important implications for food policies aiming at enhancing the public health in Kosovo.

Keywords: Food; Consumption/Nutrition/Food; Safety (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 27
Date: 2017-08-28
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr and nep-hea
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:eaae17:261150

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.261150

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